As I understand it, carbon composites, some of which are tougher than steel, are some combo of polymers and resins, which are derived from oil(black goo from the ground) as the main raw resource.

However, as this is carbon, couldn't such materials be also produced from other sources, like corpses, plants, etc?
I mean, carbon is practically in all organic matter...Is the issue that oil is the most cost-effective?

September 22nd, 2017, 09:14 AM

exchemist

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armantium

As I understand it, carbon composites, some of which are tougher than steel, are some combo of polymers and resins, which are derived from oil(black goo from the ground) as the main raw resource.

However, as this is carbon, couldn't such materials be also produced from other sources, like corpses, plants, etc?
I mean, carbon is practically in all organic matter...Is the issue that oil is the most cost-effective?

At present yes. But you are right that in principle a variety of feedstocks can be used to produce organic chemical feedstocks. I used to imagine that we would quite soon need to resort to other sources, due to oil running out. But the way things look now, it may be that renewable energy extends the life of the remaining oil stocks for a very long time. I don't think there will be any need to worry the relatives of the dead that the bodies of their dead will go off to a factory to be turned into aeroplane wings.

September 22nd, 2017, 09:19 AM

Armantium

Thanks.
It probably must be that the byproducts of oil are easily linked to the production process of other materials, so another different infrastructure would not be worthwhile, at least not yet.

Btw, do you happen to know how much steel can you get from iron, is it 1:1 ratio?

September 22nd, 2017, 09:33 AM

exchemist

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armantium

Thanks.
It probably must be that the byproducts of oil are easily linked to the production process of other materials, so another different infrastructure would not be worthwhile, at least not yet.

Btw, do you happen to know how much steel can you get from iron, is it 1:1 ratio?

Well, since steel is an alloy of iron with other substances, notably carbon but other things too, the ratio should be a bit over unity, I'd have thought, 1:1.01 - 1:1.02 or something.

September 22nd, 2017, 09:42 AM

Armantium

[QUOTE=exchemist;607359]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armantium

due to oil running out

Oh, I forgot to mention that was never a real scientific concern. The lie of "peak-oil" mostly came out from the communist environmentalism(green on the outside, red on the inside).

September 22nd, 2017, 09:52 AM

exchemist

[QUOTE=Armantium;607369]

Quote:

Originally Posted by exchemist

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armantium

due to oil running out

Oh, I forgot to mention that was never a real scientific concern. The lie of "peak-oil" mostly came out from the communist environmentalism(green on the outside, red on the inside).

On the contrary, it was, back in the 1970s when I was a teenager. You did not have to be a damn' carmmie pinko to think so.

But I agree the later notion of Peak Oil was suspect, certainly, and now shale oil and gas have knocked it on the head.